Muscle pain: understanding its nature, diagnosis and treatment

page updated January 6 2014

summary

A book within a book, Mense and Simons’ chapter on myofascial trigger points is a more recent version of the introductory chapters of the seminal Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction. It is probably the most complete and current source of information on the subject today, and therefore essential reading for any health care professional who deals with aches and pains. Unfortunately, I also believe the authors have oversimplified key points and neglected others in the attempt to stay consistent with a few interesting facts that have been more or less confirmed by research evidence. In other words, all they have is an evidence-based hammer, and so they are only writing about nails. But it is a pretty good hammer!